JP2007279598A - Optical fiber splicing device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an optical fiber splicing device improved in tolerance to axial misalignment when splicing optical fibers, which device can splice optical fibers having sheaths as they are and those having large core eccentricity between them. <P>SOLUTION: The optical fiber splicing device splices wave guides of two or more optical fibers 1, 2 with end faces, and an optical waveguide is formed corresponding to flexible positions of the optical fibers 1, 2 by locating a waveguide material 5 between the splicing end faces of the optical fibers 1, 2, and by deformation of the waveguide material 5 caused by making the optical fibers 1, 2 abut against the waveguide material 5. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an optical fiber connecting device to which two or more optical fiber waveguides having end faces are connected.

  The splicing, mechanical splice, and connector connection are mainly used as the optical fiber connection method. In particular, the mechanical splice disclosed in Patent Document 1 is compatible with cable cutting at the connection site. It is advantageous in terms of cost and simplicity compared to, so it is widely used in the field of optical wiring construction.

JP-A-56-57016

  However, since the mechanical splice is aligned using the V-groove technology without using a dedicated aligning machine, connection availability and loss depend on the eccentricity of the optical fiber core. For this reason, when connecting, it is generally necessary to remove the coating material of the optical fiber having a large amount of eccentricity and connect using an optical fiber. Moreover, even if the process is performed, an optical fiber having a large eccentricity may not be connected.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and when connecting an optical fiber, the tolerance for axial deviation is improved, and the connection with the coated optical fiber or the connection with the optical fiber having a large core eccentricity is achieved. An object of the present invention is to provide an optical fiber connecting device that enables the above.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an optical fiber connecting device in which two or more optical fiber waveguides having end faces are connected, and the end faces of the optical fibers are arranged opposite to each other with a waveguide material interposed therebetween. It is characterized by that.

  According to the present invention, in the optical fiber connecting device, the optical fiber is abutted against the waveguide material so that the refractive index distribution is formed by distortion generated in the waveguide material, and the refractive index distribution forms a waveguide. It is a feature.

  According to the present invention, in the optical fiber connecting device, a waveguide connecting the optical fibers is formed by overlapping refractive index distributions formed by two optical fibers that are abutted on both sides of the waveguide material. It is what.

  Further, the present invention is characterized in that in the optical fiber connecting device, axial deviation between optical fibers to be connected is allowed within a range in which refractive index distributions are effectively overlapped.

  According to the present invention, in the optical fiber connection device, a high refractive index portion is provided in a waveguide material, and a waveguide is formed by overlapping a refractive index distribution generated by abutment of an optical fiber with the high refractive index portion. It is characterized by that.

  In the optical fiber connecting device according to the present invention, the high refractive index portion is formed by annealing impurities doped in the waveguide material.

  According to the present invention, in the optical fiber connecting device, the end face of the optical fiber is a cleaved end face.

  According to the present invention, in the optical fiber connecting device, PMMA or PF resin is used as a waveguide material.

  In the optical fiber connecting device of the present invention, when connecting optical fibers, a waveguide material is sandwiched between the end faces of the two optical fibers, and pressure is applied to the waveguide material from each optical fiber. The waveguide material is distorted by the pressure applied from each optical fiber, and a refractive index distribution is formed in the waveguide material. Since it functions as a waveguide connecting between the cores, the optical fiber does not necessarily have to be on the same axis, so that the tolerance of the optical fiber to the axial deviation is improved.

  As a result, connection with the coated optical fiber or connection with an optical fiber having a large core eccentricity becomes possible.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical fiber connection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of a connection portion of the optical fiber connection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is. In the figure, 1 and 2 are optical fibers, 3 is a mechanical splice part, 4 is a V-groove, 5 is a waveguide material, and 6 is a high refractive index part previously formed in the waveguide material 5. Reference numerals 7 and 8 denote optical fiber core portions. As the waveguide material 5, for example, PMMA, PF resin, or the like can be used. The dimensions of the waveguide material 5 may be about several tens of microns in both thickness and radius. The high refractive index portion 6 may be formed, for example, by annealing impurities doped in the waveguide material 5.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a V-groove 4 having a V-shaped cross section is provided in the mechanical splice portion 3, and a waveguide material 5 is provided in a substantially central portion of the V-groove 4. When connecting the optical fibers 1 and 2, the optical fibers 1 and 2 are respectively inserted into the mechanical splice portion 3 along the V-groove 4 from both ends, and the tips of the optical fibers 1 and 2 are inserted into the waveguide material 5 from both sides. It is abutted so as to face each other. That is, as shown in FIG. 2, when connecting the optical fibers 1 and 2, the waveguide material 5 is sandwiched between the end faces of the two optical fibers 1 and 2, Pressure is applied from the fibers 1 and 2. The waveguide material 5 is distorted by the pressure applied from each of the optical fibers 1 and 2, and a refractive index distribution is formed in the waveguide material 5. 5 functions as a waveguide connecting the optical fiber core portions 7 and 8 of the optical fibers 1 and 2.

  In this case, the waveguide material 5 is deformed by the optical fibers 1 and 2 and an internal stress is generated. However, since the pressure is escaped to the outside where the deformation is abutted against the peripheral portion of the optical fiber, the optical fiber is consequently obtained. The central part of the optical fiber with the core part 8 has the largest stress and the largest distortion. Further, since the waveguide material 5 has the high refractive index portion 6 in advance, the high refractive index portion 9 as a whole has a shape shown by a broken line, and this connects the left and right optical fibers 1 and 2 as a waveguide. As a result, light is guided as shown by line 10. The waveguide material 5 may have a high refractive index portion 6 in advance as in this embodiment, or the same action may be realized by a special shape. Moreover, it is not necessary to prepare a high refractive index part.

  The waveguide material 5 is distorted by the pressure applied from each of the optical fibers 1 and 2, and a refractive index distribution is formed in the waveguide material 5. 5 functions as a waveguide connecting between the optical fiber core portions 7 and 8 of the optical fibers 1 and 2, so that the optical fibers 1 and 2 do not necessarily have to be on the same axis. The tolerance for deviation is improved, and for example, an allowable axis deviation amount of about 10 to 20 microns can be realized.

  Moreover, by making the end faces of the optical fibers 1 and 2 into cleaved end faces, scattering at the end faces of the optical fibers 1 and 2 can be reduced, and loss can be reduced.

  3A and 3B are perspective views showing a specific example of the optical fiber connecting device according to the first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 3A shows a state before the waveguide material is mounted, and FIG. The state after installation is shown. In FIG. 3, the same parts as those in FIG. As shown in FIG. 3A, a V-groove 4 having a V-shaped cross section is provided in the mechanical splice portion 3, and a waveguide material 5 is mounted in a substantially central portion of the V-groove 4. A recess 11 is provided. As shown in FIG. 3B, a waveguide material 5 is inserted and installed in the waveguide material mounting recess 11. When connecting the optical fibers 1 and 2, the optical fibers 1 and 2 are respectively inserted into the mechanical splice portion 3 along the V-groove 4 from both ends, and the tips of the optical fibers 1 and 2 are inserted into the waveguide material 5 from both sides. It is abutted so as to face each other.

  That is, when connecting the optical fibers 1 and 2, the waveguide material 5 is sandwiched between the end faces of the two optical fibers 1 and 2, and pressure is applied to the waveguide material 5 from the optical fibers 1 and 2. Add. The waveguide material 5 is distorted by the pressure applied from each of the optical fibers 1 and 2, and a refractive index distribution is formed in the waveguide material 5. 5 functions as a waveguide for connecting between the optical fiber cores of the optical fibers 1 and 2.

  In this case, the pressure applied from the optical fibers 1 and 2 to the waveguide material 5 is changed according to the physical properties of the waveguide material 5. Such a pressure can be realized by holding the side surface of the optical fiber by the V-groove mechanism as in the case of a normal mechanical splice. 3 is covered with an elongated plate-like lid member (not shown) corresponding to the mechanical splice portion 3 from above the optical fibers 1 and 2 in FIG. Hold 1 and 2.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a specific example of an optical fiber connecting device according to the second embodiment of the present invention. That is, when connecting the tape-shaped optical fiber having a plurality of optical fibers, a plurality of optical fibers 1 ₁ of the tape-shaped optical fibers into the mechanical splice section _30, 1 2, _{1 3,} 1 ₄ and A plurality of V-grooves 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , 4 ₃ , 4 ₄ are provided in parallel along the intervals of 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 ₄ . Waveguide materials 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , and 5 ₄ are inserted into the waveguide material mounting recesses and installed at substantially the center portions corresponding to the V grooves 4 ₁ , 4 ₂ , 4 ₃ , and 4 ₄ , respectively. .

When connecting the tape-shaped optical fiber, respectively the corresponding tape-shaped optical fiber core optical fiber Dasa stripped from lines _{1 1,} 1 _2, 1 3, _{1 4} and the optical fiber _{2 1, 2} 2, 2 _{3, 2 4} V grooves ₄ 1 from both ends to the mechanical splice section 30, _{respectively,} 4 _2, 4 3, ₄ is inserted along the _4, the optical fiber _{1 1,} 1 _2, 1 3, _{1 4} and the optical fiber The corresponding tips of the cores 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 ₄ are abutted so as to face each other on both sides corresponding to the waveguide materials 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ .

That is, when connecting the optical fiber cores 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , 1 ₃ , 1 ₄ and the optical fiber core wires 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 ₄ , the corresponding optical fiber core wires 1 ₁ , 1, respectively. _{2, 1} 3, _{1 4} and the optical fiber _{2 1,} 2 _2, 2 3, _{2 4} waveguiding material ₅ 1 between the end faces _of, 5 _2, 5 3, _{5 4} jamming in correspondence, the guide Corresponding optical fiber cores 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , 1 ₃ , 1 ₄ and optical fiber cores 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 for the wave materials 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ , respectively. Apply pressure from ₄ . Waveguide materials 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , 5 by pressure applied from the corresponding optical fiber cores 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , 1 ₃ , 1 ₄ and optical fiber core wires 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 ₄ , respectively. ₃ , 5 ₄ is distorted, and the refractive index distribution is formed in the waveguide materials 5 ₁ , 5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ , so that if there is an overlapping portion of the refractive index distribution, the waveguide material 5 ₁ , Between optical fiber cores 1 ₁ , 1 ₂ , 1 ₃ , 1 ₄ and optical fiber cores 2 ₁ , 2 ₂ , 2 ₃ , 2 _{4 to which} 5 ₂ , 5 ₃ , 5 ₄ correspond, respectively. It functions as a waveguide to be connected.

  As described above, according to the present embodiment, the waveguide material is disposed between the end faces of the optical fibers to be connected, and the optical fiber is abutted against the waveguide material to form the waveguide connecting the optical fibers. The optical fiber is abutted against the waveguide material to distort the waveguide material, and this distortion causes a refractive index distribution in the waveguide material. In general, the compressed portion has a higher refractive index, but since light has a property of passing through a place where the refractive index is high, a waveguide is formed by this refractive index distribution. In addition, the portion where the strain generated by the pressure applied to the waveguide material from both sides overlaps has a larger strain than the other portions, so that the refractive index also increases in proportion thereto. For this reason, the light emitted from the optical fiber on one side is guided to a portion where the distortion overlaps, and is guided to the optical fiber on the other side passing therethrough.

  Note that the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. In addition, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine suitably the component covering different embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of an optical fiber connection device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is composition explanatory drawing which shows the connection part of the optical fiber connecting device which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the specific example of the optical fiber connection apparatus which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the specific example of the optical fiber connecting device which concerns on the 2nd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, 2 ... Optical fiber, 3 ... Mechanical splice part, 4 ... V groove, 5 ... Waveguide material, 6 ... High refractive index part, 7, 8 ... Optical fiber core part.

Claims (8)

An optical fiber connecting device to which two or more optical fiber waveguides having end faces are connected,
An optical fiber connecting device, wherein end faces of optical fibers are arranged to face each other with a waveguide material interposed therebetween. In the optical fiber connecting device according to claim 1,
An optical fiber connecting device, wherein an optical fiber is abutted against a waveguide material so that a refractive index distribution is formed by distortion generated in the waveguide material, and the refractive index distribution forms a waveguide. In the optical fiber connecting device according to claim 2,
An optical fiber connecting device, characterized in that a waveguide connecting optical fibers is formed by overlapping refractive index distributions formed by two optical fibers abutted on both sides of a waveguide material. In the optical fiber connecting device according to claim 3,
An optical fiber connection device characterized by allowing an axial deviation between optical fibers to be connected within a range in which refractive index distributions are effectively overlapped. In the optical fiber connecting device according to claim 2,
An optical fiber connecting device, wherein a high refractive index portion is provided in a waveguide material, and a waveguide is formed by overlapping a refractive index distribution generated by abutment of an optical fiber with the high refractive index portion. In the optical fiber connecting device according to claim 5,
The high refractive index part is formed by annealing impurities doped in the waveguide material. In the optical fiber connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 6,
An optical fiber connecting device, wherein an end face of the optical fiber is a cleavage end face. In the optical fiber connecting device according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
An optical fiber connecting device using PMMA or PF resin as a waveguide material.

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